Informality between terms is one of the themes behind today’s Connections puzzle, which makes it more difficult than you may expect. I struggled to figure out which categories the puzzle was looking for today, but not after I recognized some patterns early. Those who identify some hints as they start this puzzle will have a much easier time finding the right answers for success.
You only have four chances to make mistakes for today’s Connections puzzle, which is a much smaller margin for error than you would see in an NYT Wordle puzzle. Despite this restriction, looking up words will usually lead you to strong clues to help you find the four categories of the puzzle. Fitting four words into each section may take time, but you’ll avoid mistakes by taking that extra caution.
Today’s Connections Category Hints
May 10 #699
I managed to solve the puzzle today faster than on previous days, but only because I saw many terms that only had a few meanings. Think about where different phrases are used to understand all the different contexts you might see them in, especially during a sentence. With today’s theme being related to informal words, knowing how and when they’re used will help you find the right answers.
For those trying to piece together different categories for today’s puzzle, try following these hints:
- One category is about things related to informal terms used to end a letter.
- One category is about things referring to the lack of something else.
- One category is about things used to describe having an abundance of energy.
- One category is about things related to prefix terms before something that appears narrow visually.
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If you want to go all out with some of your clue-searching, you should look at the category names to get some extra help. There are also spoilers for each category if you find yourself needing to solve a single category to finish up.
| LETTER SIGN-OFFS |
| WITHOUT |
| VIGOR |
| ___STRIP |
Today’s Connections Answers
May 10 #699
Yellow Answers: Revealed & Explained
LETTER SIGN-OFFS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
BEST |
CHEERS |
LOVE |
SINCERELY |
This part of the puzzle was the first category I saw the pattern for, as I recognized SINCERELY to refer to the informal term you use at the end of a letter. Following this, I thought about how LOVE often goes at the end of letters, too, as well as BEST for something even more informal. CHEERS is a bit of a rarer term used for the same purpose, but that definition for the word was the only way this category could come together.
Green Answers: Revealed & Explained
WITHOUT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
ABSENT |
MINUS |
SANS |
WANTING |
The only way I could think about SANS was through the Sans Serif font, which refers to a type of font lacking any decoration. This “lacking” idea gave me my first clue towards this section’s theme, as ABSENT and MINUS both refer to something missing. With the phrase “to leave someone wanting,” helping me add WANTING as the last word, this section of the puzzle formed easier than I expected.
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Blue Answers: Revealed & Explained
VIGOR | |||
|---|---|---|---|
BEANS |
ENERGY |
PEP |
ZIP |
ENERGY and PEP were words I put together early in today’s puzzle, as having a lot of energy and “having pep in your step” both informally share the same context. Having the ZIP to perform activities also connects back to the concept of being energized that fits with the other two words. While I didn’t know BEANS also had that meaning, a lucky guess helped me complete this category’s direction.
Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained
___STRIP | |||
|---|---|---|---|
BACON |
COMIC |
LANDING |
SUNSET |
Strips of BACON, a COMIC strip, a LANDING strip, or a classic SUNSET strip were all terms with seemingly no connection when I started today’s puzzle. Even though they were the last words remaining, I still noticed how slices of BACON and panels in a COMIC are shaped similarly. This visual idea of those concepts made it easier to imagine a narrow LANDING area or the thin line on the horizon where a SUNSET appears.
Other Games Like Connections
If you are looking for another puzzle to play, check out one of the ones in the box below.
- Released
-
June 12, 2023
- ESRB
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e
- Developer(s)
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The New York Times Company
- Publisher(s)
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The New York Times Company
